Local

Abortion Doctor Confused By Murder Charges

Related Tags:

PHILADELPHIA (CBS)– A Philadelphia abortion doctor accused of a slew of crimes, including murdering upwards of seven babies, has now been charged with eight counts of murder.

Dr. Kermit Gosnell, 69, is being held without bail for the deaths of seven babies and one patient, a 41-year-old woman who died during a botched abortion. Eight of his employees have also been charged, including four with murder. >>>Timeline of events

Upon hearing the charges, Gosnell, who is not represented by an attorney at this time, appeared confused, saying that while he understood the charges in the death of one patient, he didn’t understand the other seven. He was told that those charges related to the live birth viable babies that he killed.

“He wasn’t aware of the fact that he was charged with killing seven viable live born babies. So we had to explain to him that he was charged with seven additional counts of murder,” Assistant District Attorney Christine Wexler said.

Spokeswoman Janet Kelley says Pennsylvania’s new governor and his administration are reviewing a grand jury report outlining deplorable conditions at Gosnell’s West Philadelphia clinic, where the doctor reportedly performed illegal late-term abortions and murdered live babies with scissors. She also said that Gov. Tom Corbett called the conditions detailed in the report “horrific.”

According to the report, Gosnell’s clinic, which primarily served poor, immigrant and minority women, would have been shut down years ago if it were not for severe oversights on the part of state regulators.